"Crater 3 continued to produce mild spasmodic eruptions while Crater 2 activity was at a low level. During the first week of February, loud explosions at Crater 3 accompanied the release of grey ash, moderate to thin in volume, that rose several hundred metres above the summit. The intensity of explosions during the rest of the month was much lower, but the amount of ash emitted remained steady. Night glows were not observed from Crater 3, although it was often obscured by atmospheric clouds. Crater 2 activity was low during most of the month with the release of thin pale grey ash. From 7 to 10 February there were forceful emissions of moderately thick grey ash. Weak crater glow was seen on a few nights when the summit was clear of atmospheric clouds. Seismic activity during February remained at a moderate level with minor fluctuations."

Geological Summary. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower E flank of the extinct Talawe volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the N and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.

Information Contacts: B. Talai and C. McKee, RVO.